The bundle — building one the court will actually use
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-29
What a bundle is
A bundle is the single paginated file (or thick folder) containing every document the court and parties need for a hearing, in an agreed order. It is the judge's working document. The rules governing it are set out in Practice Direction (PD) 27A of the Family Procedure Rules. If a bundle goes in messy, the hearing starts late and the judge's goodwill does not last long.
Page numbers
Every page gets a single number in the bottom-right corner, running consecutively from 1 to the end, with nothing skipped. Use the same number on both the index and the sheet itself. Do not number section-by-section — pagination is one continuous run. Never leave a page unnumbered; "unpaginated bundle" is a known source of judicial exasperation.
Order of documents
PD 27A prescribes an agreed order. A typical completed bundle runs:
1. Front cover sheet and index 2. The applications and orders made in the proceedings (chronological) 3. The statements/evidence relied on (chronological by date, not by party) 4. Reports (Cafcass/social services, medical, experts) 5. Other documents (correspondence, texts/screenshots referenced, the chronology) 6. Back "tab" markers matching the index
Keep it lean: the judge reads for a limited time (often the "20-minute" reality before a directions hearing). Bloat buries the point — include only what each party will actually rely on or must answer.
The index
- List each document, its reference, and its bundle page number
- Mark the index page "index" clearly and number it too
- Agree the index with the other side if possible (court directs "agreed bundle" where practical)
Filing deadlines
PD 27A: serve the bundle in good time before the hearing (typically the same-day/1-day rule differs by hearing type — a "strict" deadline for contested matters). Read the order that sets your timings; missing them risks adjournment and cost consequences (see our costs guide).
Who prepares it
The applicant's side usually prepares the bundle in private-law cases; the court may direct otherwise. As a LiP you may be doing it yourself — build it early, don't leave it to the night before.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Unpaginated pages or duplicate page numbers
- Out-of-order documents (chronology ignored)
- Missing the index, or index that doesn't match page numbers
- Including irrelevant material (bundle becomes 10× too long)
- Serving the wrong/old version when documents were updated
- Failing to reference documents in your statements (judges can't hunt)
The judge's reading reality
Judges read bundles incrementally in scarce time. A clean, correctly paginated, indexed bundle that lets them find what they need quickly does more for your case than any single submission. If they have to fight the bundle, they have less patience for you.
Official links
- Practice Direction 27A (bundles): https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/family/practice_directions
- https://www.gov.uk/looking-after-children-divorce
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with HMCTS or gov.uk.
Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.
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